


lions mane, lions pride

by putsch



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: Crying, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-18
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2019-02-04 00:52:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12759765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/putsch/pseuds/putsch
Summary: shishido's power was always linked to his hair(written for SASO2017)





	lions mane, lions pride

**Author's Note:**

  * For [morphological (phraseme)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/phraseme/gifts).



> original prompt here - https://sportsanime.dreamwidth.org/21522.html?thread=10530066#cmt10530066

they say that when you shave your hair off, anything bad in your hair goes away with it. chemicals, dyes, split ends, anything and everything falls away off your body to begin anew.  
  
shishido wants to believe bad karma will disappear too.  
  
  
  
choutarou was always too soft for his own good, shishido thinks, as he runs his hand through newly cut hair with wet tears in those big brown eyes.  
  
"you didn't have to do that." he says, his voice soft to keep it from warbling the way it always does when he gets upset. "your hair was--"  
  
" _was._ " shishido steels his voice the same way he steels his shoulders, not wanting to waver like choutarou's gaze. "and what's done is done. there's no reason to cry about it."  
  
"still." choutarou runs both hands through his hair now, and it feels nice, large warm hands through the prickle of it. shishido allows this, just like he allows choutarou to press their foreheads together. "i know what it meant to you."  
  
shishido closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and wishes choutarou would stop being right for once in his life.  
  
"let me help you." choutarou asks.  
  
"no." shishido answers.

 

  
  
everything is difficult at first.  
  
he's more winded at the end of runs, he messes up more serves than he makes, and half of the ones he does make aren't as strong as they need to be to be worthy of a real spot on the court.  
  
so he stays late, shows up early, works three times as hard as he ever had in his life to make up for the loss. everyone assumes it's to heal his pride, because after all, that's what everyone assumes as the meaning of his hair.  
  
only choutarou watches on with the knowledge that it's not a matter of healing pride, but rebuilding his the mantle of power that's been shaved away.  
  
"we could play doubles, if you want." choutarou says.  
  
"not yet." shishido answers.

 

  
  
he thought it would take longer for his hair to start growing back, but in a few weeks there's more thick brown, enough to curl around his ears and stick up in all directions when he wakes up for his morning runs.  
  
it itches a little. shishido pulls at the hair, twisting centimeter long strands between his fingers, and feels something that might be hope.  
  
it's a feeling that disappears when he passes out during practice because he worked himself too hard.  
  
"choutarou. cut my hair."  
  
"what!?" he jumps, looks straight panicked at the razor shishido holds out toward him. "no, i, i can't, no, what, why would you even ask me that?"  
  
"because i haven't earned it yet."  
  
two hours later, he can no longer twist hairs between his fingers and the feeling of choutarou's tears down the back of his neck still lingers.  
  


  
  
this time, when his hair grows back it's as strong as he needs it to be, it brings the life back to his blood and finally, _finally,_ this is what he needed. he didn't want to just be clinging to his racket, didn't want to be just good enough to play. he had to be better than he ever was with a mane down past his shoulders. the work payed off, manifested in the power that's back in him.  
  
"you look a lot better, shishido." choutarou says, "you seem like yourself."  
  
he knows choutarou doesn't mean it because of his hair.  
  
"if, if you want." choutarou starts, stops, twirling his racket in his hand before he restarts. "well, i suppose now you can get back on the singles court, but, i'd still like to play doubles with you."  
  
"yes." shishido answers, his mouth breaking into a small smile.


End file.
